Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-05-21

BEss WAS STILL LEANING AGAINST THE
PLANO.
ing the notes. over which her head was bent
low, showing the coils Of curling hair which
were twisted round it like a coronet.
swell, Capt Niel,n said the old man, wav-
ing his pipe in her direction, "and what do
you say to my singing birds music ehf Isn't
1t enough to draw the heart out of q man, eh,
and turn his marrow to water, ehf'
u never heard anything quite like 1t" he
answered, simply, sand have heard most
singers. 1t is beautiful Certainly l never
expected to hear such singing In the Trans
vaal."
She turned quickly, and he observed that.
though her eyes were alight with excitement,
her face was as impassive as ever.
"There is no need for you to laugh at me,
Capt. Mel" she said quickly, and then, with
an abrupt Goodnight" left the room.
The old man smiled, jerked the stem Of his
pipe over his shoulder after her. and winked
In a way that, no doubt, meant unutterable
things, but which did not convey much to his
astonished guest, who sat still and said moth
ing. Then Bessie got up and bade him good
night in her pleasant voice, and with house
wifely care inquired as to whether his room
was to his liking, and how many blankets he
liked upon his bed, telling him that if he
found the odor of the moonfovers. that grew
near the veranda, too strong, he had better
shut the right hand window and open that on
the other side of the room; and then at
length, with piquant little nod OF her golden
head. she went Off, looking, he thought as he
watched her retreating figure, about as
healthy, graceful and generally satisfactory
a young woman as man could wish to see.
"Take glass Of grog, Capt Mel" said the
old man, pushing the square bottle toward
him; "you'u need 1t after the mauling that
brute gave you. By the way, haven't
thanked you enough for saving my Bessie!
But do thank you, yes, that do. must
tell you that Bessie is my favorite niece.
Never was there such girl-never. Moves
like springbuck, and what an eye and formi
Work, too-shen do as much work as three.
There's no nonsense about Bessie, none at all.
She's not fine lady, for all her fine looks"
"The two sisters seem very different" said
John.
GAY, you're right there" said the old man.
@You'd never think that the same blood ran
In their veins, would yous There's three
years between them, that's one thing. Bes-
sizes the youngest, you see-shes just 20 and
jess Is %. Lord, to think that it is twenty
three years since that girl was born! And
theirs was queer story, too"
"Indeedp said his listener, interrogatively.
aAy," he went on absently. knocking out
his pipe and refilling it out of big, brown
jar OF coarse cut Boer tobacco; "I'll tell it to
you il you like; you are going to live in the
house, and you may as well know it. l am
sure SSapt. Mel, that it will go no further.
You see was born in England; yes, and well
born, too. ! come from Cambridgeshire-
from that fat fenland down round Ely. Ny
father was clergyman Well, he wasn't
rich, and when was 20 he gave me his bless
ing, thirty sovereigns in my pocket and my
passage to the Cape; and l shook his hand.
God bless himl and off ! came, and here in
the old colony and this country l have been
for fifty years, for was 70 yesterday. Well,
I'll tell you more about that another time;
it's about the girls I'm speaking now. After
left home--twenty years after or hard ON
tiny dear old father married again,
youngish woman with some money, but be-
meath him somewhat in life, and by her he
had one son and then died. Well, it was but
little heard of nay half-brother, except that
he had turned out verv badly married and